Health Enhancement Curriculum – Info meeting

Health Enhancement Curriculum – Info meeting Helena Youth Advocates Lewis & Clark Library June 30th

Outline • Introduction – Who we are • Overview of the proposed draft • Main Concerns • Things to Consider • What you can do to help • Questions • Sign-ups for volunteers

Who We Are • A group of parents and concerned community members that agree that “this” curriculum is not the best for our children. • We wish for the board to vote “no” on the current proposal. • We want to see a thorough revision of the draft and want the process to include the input of many parents.

Overview - Draft • A two year process • Committee members included: • Regular classroom teachers & physical education teachers • Health instructors • Law enforcement officials • Department of Public Health and Human Services • Lewis and Clark Health Department liaisons • St. Peter’s Hospital representatives • administrators, parents and other community members

http://www.helena.k12.mt.us/district/departme/curricul/curricul/healthen/index.dhtmhttp://www.helena.k12.mt.us/district/departme/curricul/curricul/healthen/index.dhtm

Critical Competencies K-12 • Health Maintenance and Enhancement: • Personal Health and Preventative Care • Nutrition • Consumer Health and Safety • Life Management Skills • Functions and Interrelationship of Systems: • Structure and Functions of the Body • Social, Emotional and Mental Health • Human Sexuality • Risk Assessment and Reduction: • Disease Prevention and Control • Injury Prevention and Safety • Environmental Health http://www.helena.k12.mt.us/district/departme/curricul/curricul/healthen/index.dhtm

Main Concerns

Reproductive Health Section Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 36

Influence of Family & Peers & Society Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 38

Human Sexuality Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 46

Influence of Family & Peers & Society Influence of Family & Peers & Society Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 39

Influence of Family & Peers & Society Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 38

Human Sexuality Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 45

Sexually Transmitted Infections Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 54

Safe & Unsafe Substances Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 59

Effects of Pollution on Health Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 61

Harassment/Bullying/Refusal and Conflict Resolution Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 23

Things to Consider • This does not fit our own Montana Standards for Sex Education: • Ought to focus on “disease prevention” • “Public health supports a program that is age-appropriate, abstinence based, …” • “… [T]he program public health supports is designed to: (a) support youth who have not had sexual intercourse to continue to postpone the initiation of sexual intercourse, (b) help youth who have had sexual intercourse re-establish abstinence, and (c) present information on disease prevention methods for those unable or unwilling to refrain from sexual intercourse.” Montana Accreditation Standards for Health Enhancement, OPI: http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/HIVEd/HEStandardsSexEd.pdf

Things to Consider • Montana Standards for Sex Education, cont. • “The content should explain the health reasons for refraining from sexual activity as well as the health consequences for engaging in sexual intercourse.”* • There is no mention of the psychological effects of teen sexual activity – depression, higher-drop out rates, etc. • “The content should reflect the values of the community”* • On the committee there was only one member listed as a non-district employee parent – we need more community parents involved in the committee process *Montana Accreditation Standards for Health Enhancement, OPI: http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/HIVEd/HEStandardsSexEd.pdf

Things to Consider • Primary disease prevention focuses on avoiding exposure first: • We don’t teach children how to use drugs responsibly – we teach them to “just say ‘no’” – with STI rates so high, why should teen sex be considered differently? • This program discusses STIs transmitted by fluid to fluid contact, but does not explicitly mention skin to skin contact

Things to Consider • In Montana (Dept. of HHS 2008): • 53% of all Chlamydia cases occurred in ages 15-24* • 63% of all Gonorrhea cases occurred in ages 15-24* • Lewis & Clark County has the 5th highest instances of Chlamydia in Montana* • With stats like these we need to have a serious and open discussion with parents about what approach is best for our kids and community. *Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Communicable Disease Stats and Facts, 2008: http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/PHSD/epidemiology/documents/AnnualReport2008FINAL_03_31_2010.pdf

Things to Consider • Is this really the most up to date science? • February 2010: NY Times and CNN featured a study comparing “comprehensive” sex education to “abstinence” education • In a high risk population, abstinence education was proven to be more effective at delaying initiation of sexual intercourse (Efficacy of a Theory-Based Abstinence-Only Intervention Over 24 Months: http://www.asc.upenn.edu/assets/other/pressReleases/Jemmott%20abstience%20study%202010.pdf)

Things to Consider • This curriculum seems to fully lack a conversation of the psychological effects of early sexual activity, especially for girls: • Early sexual activity has been shown to lead to depression in young girls (Which Comes first in Adolescence – Sex and Drugs of Depression?: http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/0749-3797/PIIS0749379705002138.pdf) • Less likely to go to college* • Less likely to be happy* • More likely to divorce* *The Harmful Effects of Early Sexual Activity and Multiple Sexual Partners Among Women: A Book of Charts. The Heritage Foundation. 2003

Things to Consider • This still requires “professional development” • Do we really want approve something without knowing what it fully contains? Or who will be involved in this “development”? • “Universal values” are referred to, but never enumerated. Values are also said to “differ” amongst families, churches and communities. • Is this appropriate for the school to be teaching to young children? • Whose/what value system is being promoted as “universal”?

Things to Consider • Is this age-appropriate material? • Does a Kindergartener really need to know the reproductive body parts? • Early introduction of sexual material contributes to the sexualization of young children. • Child focused prevention programs (K -3) have failed reduce instances of sexual abuse and have been shown to increase anxiety. (Berrick and Gilbert. With the Best Intentions: The Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Movement. New York: Guilford Press, 1991)

What can I do to help? • Write the Superintendent and Board Members • Be RESPECTFUL! – you catch more bees with honey than vinegar • Be concise and to the point • Have supporting resources and facts • Share personal story if appropriate • Write the newspaper • Call into your local radio station and make comments

What can I do to help? • Inform your PTA and teachers of what is in the draft • Encourage them to write the Superintendent and Board Members • Inform your friends • Encourage them to write the Superintendent and Board Members • Sign our online petition and encourage others to do so • Sign our hand-written petition • Help us gather signatures by going door to door

Thank you!

Health Enhancement Curriculum – Info meeting